Irish Farmers Association urged to reveal other ‘enormous’ earners in wake of Pat Smith resignation
The call comes after IFA general secretary Pat Smith stepped down from his position last week after it emerged he was paid a total of almost €1m between 2013 and 2014.
At an executive council meeting held in Portlaoise, farm leaders were told that Mr Smith was paid a total of €445,000 in 2014. This was made up of a basic salary of €295,000 as well as a €150,000 pension contribution. In 2013, Mr Smith’s salary total salary was €535,000.
This was made up of the above payments, along with a €60,000 bonus and a €30,000 director’s fee for his role with IFA Telecom. Mr Smith was also provided with a company car was also included in both years.
Fianna Fáil agriculture spokesperson Éamon Ó Cuív asked why there had been such secrecy over the salary being paid to Mr Smith and called on the IFA to reveal if any other senior members were in receipt of such large salaries.
“The questions that remain are why was a bonus paid and for what was the bonus paid in 2013. There was a significant bonus paid. What did the chief executive do and on what criteria was that given?
“The second obvious question is what severance package has been give if any to the general secretary when he resigned this week. A third wider issue is that people now want to know is there anybody else within the IFA that is getting a very, very large salary — say over €100,000 or €150,000,” he said.
Mr Ó Cuív also called on IFA president Eddie Downey to reveal what remuneration he gets “directly and indirectly”.
“When I say indirectly I mean, presidents of the IFA are normally put on a number of private boards and also State boards such as Bord Bia.
“I believe it is in the interest of the membership and in the interest of transparency and confidence in the organisation that the total package that the president receives by virtue of being president either directly or indirectly should be made public,” he said.
Mr Ó Cuív said the IFA had to explain why it was agreeing to such an “enormous” salary deal when ordinary farmers were taking home around €25,000.
“The average farm income, for example a suckler cow farmer, whether you are on the east coast or the west coast would be about €25,000. They’re funding all of this and I think they want to know what are we funding and what is our money being used for. They need to know the extent of payments being made to senior people within the organisation.”
Meanwhile, vice president of the Connacht IFA Tom Turley said there is full support for Mr Downey within the organisation. He said he saw no point in the president resigning in the wake of the pay controversy.
